> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openclaw.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Skills OpenClaw uses **[AgentSkills](https://agentskills.io)-compatible** skill folders to teach the agent how to use tools. Each skill is a directory containing a `SKILL.md` with YAML frontmatter and instructions. OpenClaw loads bundled skills plus optional local overrides, and filters them at load time based on environment, config, and binary presence. ## Locations and precedence OpenClaw loads skills from these sources, **highest precedence first**: | # | Source | Path | | - | --------------------- | -------------------------------- | | 1 | Workspace skills | `/skills` | | 2 | Project agent skills | `/.agents/skills` | | 3 | Personal agent skills | `~/.agents/skills` | | 4 | Managed/local skills | `~/.openclaw/skills` | | 5 | Bundled skills | shipped with the install | | 6 | Extra skill folders | `skills.load.extraDirs` (config) | If a skill name conflicts, the highest source wins. ## Per-agent vs shared skills In **multi-agent** setups each agent has its own workspace: | Scope | Path | Visible to | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- | | Per-agent | `/skills` | Only that agent | | Project-agent | `/.agents/skills` | Only that workspace's agent | | Personal-agent | `~/.agents/skills` | All agents on that machine | | Shared managed/local | `~/.openclaw/skills` | All agents on that machine | | Shared extra dirs | `skills.load.extraDirs` (lowest precedence) | All agents on that machine | Same name in multiple places → highest source wins. Workspace beats project-agent, beats personal-agent, beats managed/local, beats bundled, beats extra dirs. ## Agent skill allowlists Skill **location** and skill **visibility** are separate controls. Location/precedence decides which copy of a same-named skill wins; agent allowlists decide which skills an agent can actually use. ```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} { agents: { defaults: { skills: ["github", "weather"], }, list: [ { id: "writer" }, // inherits github, weather { id: "docs", skills: ["docs-search"] }, // replaces defaults { id: "locked-down", skills: [] }, // no skills ], }, } ``` * Omit `agents.defaults.skills` for unrestricted skills by default. * Omit `agents.list[].skills` to inherit `agents.defaults.skills`. * Set `agents.list[].skills: []` for no skills. * A non-empty `agents.list[].skills` list is the **final** set for that agent — it does not merge with defaults. * The effective allowlist applies across prompt building, skill slash-command discovery, sandbox sync, and skill snapshots. ## Plugins and skills Plugins can ship their own skills by listing `skills` directories in `openclaw.plugin.json` (paths relative to the plugin root). Plugin skills load when the plugin is enabled. This is the right place for tool-specific operating guides that are too long for the tool description but should be available whenever the plugin is installed — for example, the browser plugin ships a `browser-automation` skill for multi-step browser control. Plugin skill directories are merged into the same low-precedence path as `skills.load.extraDirs`, so a same-named bundled, managed, agent, or workspace skill overrides them. You can gate them via `metadata.openclaw.requires.config` on the plugin's config entry. See [Plugins](/tools/plugin) for discovery/config and [Tools](/tools) for the tool surface those skills teach. ## Skill Workshop The optional, experimental **Skill Workshop** plugin can create or update workspace skills from reusable procedures observed during agent work. It is disabled by default and must be explicitly enabled via `plugins.entries.skill-workshop`. Skill Workshop writes only to `/skills`, scans generated content, supports pending approval or automatic safe writes, quarantines unsafe proposals, and refreshes the skill snapshot after successful writes so new skills become available without a Gateway restart. Use it for corrections such as *"next time, verify GIF attribution"* or hard-won workflows such as media QA checklists. Start with pending approval; use automatic writes only in trusted workspaces after reviewing its proposals. Full guide: [Skill Workshop plugin](/plugins/skill-workshop). ## ClawHub (install and sync) [ClawHub](https://clawhub.ai) is the public skills registry for OpenClaw. Use native `openclaw skills` commands for discover/install/update, or the separate `clawhub` CLI for publish/sync workflows. Full guide: [ClawHub](/tools/clawhub). | Action | Command | | ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Install a skill into the workspace | `openclaw skills install ` | | Update all installed skills | `openclaw skills update --all` | | Sync (scan + publish updates) | `clawhub sync --all` | Native `openclaw skills install` installs into the active workspace `skills/` directory. The separate `clawhub` CLI also installs into `./skills` under your current working directory (or falls back to the configured OpenClaw workspace). OpenClaw picks that up as `/skills` on the next session. ClawHub skill pages expose the latest security scan state before install, with scanner detail pages for VirusTotal, ClawScan, and static analysis. `openclaw skills install ` remains only the install path; publishers recover false positives through the ClawHub dashboard or `clawhub skill rescan `. ## Security Treat third-party skills as **untrusted code**. Read them before enabling. Prefer sandboxed runs for untrusted inputs and risky tools. See [Sandboxing](/gateway/sandboxing) for the agent-side controls. * Workspace and extra-dir skill discovery only accepts skill roots and `SKILL.md` files whose resolved realpath stays inside the configured root. * Gateway-backed skill dependency installs (`skills.install`, onboarding, and the Skills settings UI) run the built-in dangerous-code scanner before executing installer metadata. `critical` findings block by default unless the caller explicitly sets the dangerous override; suspicious findings still warn only. * `openclaw skills install ` is different — it downloads a ClawHub skill folder into the workspace and does not use the installer-metadata path above. * `skills.entries.*.env` and `skills.entries.*.apiKey` inject secrets into the **host** process for that agent turn (not the sandbox). Keep secrets out of prompts and logs. For a broader threat model and checklists, see [Security](/gateway/security). ## SKILL.md format `SKILL.md` must include at least: ```markdown theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} --- name: image-lab description: Generate or edit images via a provider-backed image workflow --- ``` OpenClaw follows the AgentSkills spec for layout/intent. The parser used by the embedded agent supports **single-line** frontmatter keys only; `metadata` should be a **single-line JSON object**. Use `{baseDir}` in instructions to reference the skill folder path. ### Optional frontmatter keys URL surfaced as "Website" in the macOS Skills UI. Also supported via `metadata.openclaw.homepage`. When `true`, the skill is exposed as a user slash command. When `true`, the skill is excluded from the model prompt (still available via user invocation). When set to `tool`, the slash command bypasses the model and dispatches directly to a tool. Tool name to invoke when `command-dispatch: tool` is set. For tool dispatch, forwards the raw args string to the tool (no core parsing). The tool is invoked with `{ command: "", commandName: "", skillName: "" }`. ## Gating (load-time filters) OpenClaw filters skills at load time using `metadata` (single-line JSON): ```markdown theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} --- name: image-lab description: Generate or edit images via a provider-backed image workflow metadata: { "openclaw": { "requires": { "bins": ["uv"], "env": ["GEMINI_API_KEY"], "config": ["browser.enabled"] }, "primaryEnv": "GEMINI_API_KEY", }, } --- ``` Fields under `metadata.openclaw`: When `true`, always include the skill (skip other gates). Optional emoji used by the macOS Skills UI. Optional URL shown as "Website" in the macOS Skills UI. Optional list of platforms. If set, the skill is only eligible on those OSes. Each must exist on `PATH`. At least one must exist on `PATH`. Env var must exist or be provided in config. List of `openclaw.json` paths that must be truthy. Env var name associated with `skills.entries..apiKey`. Optional installer specs used by the macOS Skills UI (brew/node/go/uv/download). If no `metadata.openclaw` is present, the skill is always eligible (unless disabled in config or blocked by `skills.allowBundled` for bundled skills). Legacy `metadata.clawdbot` blocks are still accepted when `metadata.openclaw` is absent, so older installed skills keep their dependency gates and installer hints. New and updated skills should use `metadata.openclaw`. ### Sandboxing notes * `requires.bins` is checked on the **host** at skill load time. * If an agent is sandboxed, the binary must also exist **inside the container**. Install it via `agents.defaults.sandbox.docker.setupCommand` (or a custom image). `setupCommand` runs once after the container is created. Package installs also require network egress, a writable root FS, and a root user in the sandbox. * Example: the `summarize` skill (`skills/summarize/SKILL.md`) needs the `summarize` CLI in the sandbox container to run there. ### Installer specs ```markdown theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} --- name: gemini description: Use Gemini CLI for coding assistance and Google search lookups. metadata: { "openclaw": { "emoji": "♊️", "requires": { "bins": ["gemini"] }, "install": [ { "id": "brew", "kind": "brew", "formula": "gemini-cli", "bins": ["gemini"], "label": "Install Gemini CLI (brew)", }, ], }, } --- ``` * If multiple installers are listed, the gateway picks a single preferred option (brew when available, otherwise node). * If all installers are `download`, OpenClaw lists each entry so you can see the available artifacts. * Installer specs can include `os: ["darwin"|"linux"|"win32"]` to filter options by platform. * Node installs honor `skills.install.nodeManager` in `openclaw.json` (default: npm; options: npm/pnpm/yarn/bun). This only affects skill installs; the Gateway runtime should still be Node — Bun is not recommended for WhatsApp/Telegram. * Gateway-backed installer selection is preference-driven: when install specs mix kinds, OpenClaw prefers Homebrew when `skills.install.preferBrew` is enabled and `brew` exists, then `uv`, then the configured node manager, then other fallbacks like `go` or `download`. * If every install spec is `download`, OpenClaw surfaces all download options instead of collapsing to one preferred installer. * **Go installs:** if `go` is missing and `brew` is available, the gateway installs Go via Homebrew first and sets `GOBIN` to Homebrew's `bin` when possible. * **Download installs:** `url` (required), `archive` (`tar.gz` | `tar.bz2` | `zip`), `extract` (default: auto when archive detected), `stripComponents`, `targetDir` (default: `~/.openclaw/tools/`). ## Config overrides Bundled and managed skills can be toggled and supplied with env values under `skills.entries` in `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`: ```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} { skills: { entries: { "image-lab": { enabled: true, apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "GEMINI_API_KEY" }, // or plaintext string env: { GEMINI_API_KEY: "GEMINI_KEY_HERE", }, config: { endpoint: "https://example.invalid", model: "nano-pro", }, }, peekaboo: { enabled: true }, sag: { enabled: false }, }, }, } ``` `false` disables the skill even if it is bundled or installed. The bundled `coding-agent` skill is opt-in: set `skills.entries.coding-agent.enabled: true` before exposing it to agents, then make sure one of `claude`, `codex`, `opencode`, or `pi` is installed and authenticated for its own CLI. Convenience for skills that declare `metadata.openclaw.primaryEnv`. Supports plaintext or SecretRef. Injected only if the variable is not already set in the process. Optional bag for custom per-skill fields. Custom keys must live here. Optional allowlist for **bundled** skills only. If set, only bundled skills in the list are eligible (managed/workspace skills unaffected). If the skill name contains hyphens, quote the key (JSON5 allows quoted keys). Config keys match the **skill name** by default — if a skill defines `metadata.openclaw.skillKey`, use that key under `skills.entries`. For stock image generation/editing inside OpenClaw, use the core `image_generate` tool with `agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel` instead of a bundled skill. Skill examples here are for custom or third-party workflows. For native image analysis use the `image` tool with `agents.defaults.imageModel`. If you pick `openai/*`, `google/*`, `fal/*`, or another provider-specific image model, add that provider's auth/API key too. ## Environment injection When an agent run starts, OpenClaw: 1. Reads skill metadata. 2. Applies `skills.entries..env` and `skills.entries..apiKey` to `process.env`. 3. Builds the system prompt with **eligible** skills. 4. Restores the original environment after the run ends. Environment injection is **scoped to the agent run**, not a global shell environment. For the bundled `claude-cli` backend, OpenClaw also materializes the same eligible snapshot as a temporary Claude Code plugin and passes it with `--plugin-dir`. Claude Code can then use its native skill resolver while OpenClaw still owns precedence, per-agent allowlists, gating, and `skills.entries.*` env/API key injection. Other CLI backends use the prompt catalog only. ## Snapshots and refresh OpenClaw snapshots the eligible skills **when a session starts** and reuses that list for subsequent turns in the same session. Changes to skills or config take effect on the next new session. Skills can refresh mid-session in two cases: * The skills watcher is enabled. * A new eligible remote node appears. Think of this as a **hot reload**: the refreshed list is picked up on the next agent turn. If the effective agent skill allowlist changes for that session, OpenClaw refreshes the snapshot so visible skills stay aligned with the current agent. ### Skills watcher By default, OpenClaw watches skill folders and bumps the skills snapshot when `SKILL.md` files change. Configure under `skills.load`: ```json5 theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} { skills: { load: { watch: true, watchDebounceMs: 250, }, }, } ``` ### Remote macOS nodes (Linux gateway) If the Gateway runs on Linux but a **macOS node** is connected with `system.run` allowed (Exec approvals security not set to `deny`), OpenClaw can treat macOS-only skills as eligible when the required binaries are present on that node. The agent should execute those skills via the `exec` tool with `host=node`. This relies on the node reporting its command support and on a bin probe via `system.which` or `system.run`. Offline nodes do **not** make remote-only skills visible. If a connected node stops answering bin probes, OpenClaw clears its cached bin matches so agents no longer see skills that cannot currently run there. ## Token impact When skills are eligible, OpenClaw injects a compact XML list of available skills into the system prompt (via `formatSkillsForPrompt` in `pi-coding-agent`). The cost is deterministic: * **Base overhead** (only when ≥1 skill): 195 characters. * **Per skill:** 97 characters + the length of the XML-escaped ``, ``, and `` values. Formula (characters): ```text theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} total = 195 + Σ (97 + len(name_escaped) + len(description_escaped) + len(location_escaped)) ``` XML escaping expands `& < > " '` into entities (`&`, `<`, etc.), increasing length. Token counts vary by model tokenizer. A rough OpenAI-style estimate is \~4 chars/token, so **97 chars ≈ 24 tokens** per skill plus your actual field lengths. ## Managed skills lifecycle OpenClaw ships a baseline set of skills as **bundled skills** with the install (npm package or OpenClaw\.app). `~/.openclaw/skills` exists for local overrides — for example, pinning or patching a skill without changing the bundled copy. Workspace skills are user-owned and override both on name conflicts. ## Looking for more skills? Browse [https://clawhub.ai](https://clawhub.ai). Full configuration schema: [Skills config](/tools/skills-config). ## Related * [ClawHub](/tools/clawhub) — public skills registry * [Creating skills](/tools/creating-skills) — building custom skills * [Plugins](/tools/plugin) — plugin system overview * [Skill Workshop plugin](/plugins/skill-workshop) — generate skills from agent work * [Skills config](/tools/skills-config) — skill configuration reference * [Slash commands](/tools/slash-commands) — all available slash commands